Welcome to Episode 124 of Tablesetters, and today’s conversation goes well beyond wins, losses, and box scores.

We’re joined by Dominic Leone, a former Major League reliever who pitched professionally from 2012 through 2024, navigating more than a decade inside big league clubhouses during one of the most transformative periods in modern baseball. His career unfolded during the rise of Statcast driven evaluation, the reshaping of bullpen usage, and an era where flexibility, churn, and uncertainty became defining features of roster construction. Leone’s path was never linear, requiring constant adjustment just to remain employed in a role where reliability and replaceability are often separated by a handful of outcomes.

What makes this episode different and necessary is Leone’s willingness to speak openly about the human cost of that reality. Since stepping away from the game, he has been candid about mental health, identity, fatherhood, and the emotional weight of building a career without long term security. From going undrafted out of high school to earning trust at Clemson in a postseason elimination game that sent the Tigers to the College World Series, from adapting through injury to teaching himself a cutter by studying Mariano Rivera simply to survive, Leone’s story is defined by self direction, resilience, and constant reinvention.

Across this conversation, we explore when mental health stopped being background noise and became something requiring intentional care, the invisible strain of bullpen life and living year to year without certainty, and the routines and personal rituals that helped him stay grounded during the season. We talk about baseball as identity and what happens when that identity begins to loosen, how fatherhood reshaped his relationship with pressure and failure, and why he ultimately chose to speak publicly about mental health and life after baseball when those conversations were rarely normalized inside clubhouses.

We also dig into the razor thin margins that define relief pitching, the emotional reality of modern free agency, and how bullpen roles have fundamentally changed as teams prioritize depth, flexibility, and short term solutions. Leone offers perspective on clubhouse culture and whether winning creates chemistry or chemistry enables winning, what fans often misunderstand about the waiting and uncertainty of free agency, and what looming 2026 labor uncertainty means for players without guaranteed security. He reflects on what it is like to step away from a world where every pitch is tracked and judged, and what he understands now about baseball’s structure, culture, and economics that simply was not visible while living inside it day to day.

We close by looking ahead, what Leone is focused on now, where listeners can follow and support what he is building, his favorite offseason signing, and a lighter moment as he reflects on the one strikeout that still stands out above all others.

It is one of our most thoughtful and human conversations yet, a reminder that baseball careers are not just built on talent, but on adaptability, mental endurance, and the ability to redefine yourself when the game eventually moves on.

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The offseason really planted its flag this week, and Episode 123 of Tablesetters is loaded. The Dodgers doubled down on their super-team bullpen by landing Edwin Díaz on a record-setting three-year deal, instantly changing the late-inning landscape and raising the bar yet again on what an all-in contender looks like. In the same tier of aggression, the Phillies are keeping their tone-setter at home, re-signing Kyle Schwarber on a five-year, $150 million pact while also locking in Rob Thomson through 2027 to extend the most successful run of Phillies baseball in a decade.

We dig into how Díaz’s contract reshapes the relief market, what it says about the Dodgers’ willingness to blow past every financial line on the board, and how the Mets’ choice to pivot to Devin Williams looks now that their former star closer is in L.A. From there, we shift to Philadelphia: why Schwarber’s deal breaks every “rule” for 33-year-old DHs, what it means for the rest of the power market, how Thomson’s extension fits their “job’s not done” mentality, and what the Phillies still have to solve with J.T. Realmuto, the outfield, and the rotation.

It hasn’t been a quiet week in Queens, either. Pete Alonso is back on the open market, talking to teams at the Winter Meetings while reports out of Orlando suggest the Mets are hesitant to go beyond three guaranteed years. We break down why Alonso’s profile is so polarizing in today’s game, why a reunion feels more like a late-offseason outcome than a sure thing, and how his market ties back into Schwarber’s deal, Cody Bellinger’s next move, and the first-base/DH shuffle across the league.

On the future side of things, the Chicago White Sox win the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery and secure the No. 1 overall pick, with the Rays and Twins right behind them. We walk through how the lottery rules shaped this year’s order, why the Giants and Royals come out as surprise winners, which clubs slid down the board, and how names like Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Justin Lebron could shape the next few years.

And in Cooperstown news, Jeff Kent finally gets the call from the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. We talk about his case as the most powerful second baseman ever, why he stalled out with the writers, and what the new Era Committee rules mean for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield, and the rest of the PED-era lightning rods going forward.

We close by zooming in on Boston, where the Red Sox are kicking the tires on Eugenio Suárez as they hunt for impact power at third base and possibly first/DH. We get into what Suárez brings at this stage of his career, how his strikeout and chase issues complicate the fit, what it signals about their Plan A with Alex Bregman, and how Masataka Yoshida’s situation could dictate where the Sox go next.

Steve and Devin are taking you through every angle — the signings, the extensions, the Hall of Fame fallout, the draft lottery results, and how all of it ties together as the hot stove finally starts to cook.

⚾️ Superteams loading up, power bats getting paid, futures being rewritten — the offseason is officially in full swing.

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The league is not easing into the Winter Meetings. Everything is already moving. Episode 122 opens with a full preview of the Winter Meetings in Orlando, where front offices, agents, and scouts spend four days accelerating conversations that normally take weeks. We lay out what the schedule looks like, why teams such as Seattle, the Mets, the Dodgers, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Boston are positioned to act, and note that the Rule 5 Draft is on deck as part of the week’s business.

It’s the annual checkpoint that pushes stalled talks forward, and this year the trade market is already hinting at a few possible flashpoints.

From there, we break down the Mets’ big bullpen addition. New York lands Devin Williams on a 3-year, $51 million deal, giving them a late-inning anchor regardless of what happens with Edwin Díaz. We look at why the Mets felt comfortable betting on the underlying metrics, what Williams still does at an elite level, and how his arrival gives the front office multiple paths through the rest of the winter. It’s a stabilizing move before the Meetings even begin.

We also get into Baltimore’s signing of Ryan Helsley, who might be one of the most interesting rebound bets of the offseason. The Orioles see fixable issues — pitch tipping, sequencing predictability, fastball shape — and believe their pitching infrastructure can get him back to All-Star form. With Félix Bautista recovering, Baltimore needed a legitimate ninth-inning option, and Helsley arrives with both the stuff and the track record to fill that role immediately.

Two international signings hit the board as well: Anthony Kay to the White Sox and Cody Ponce to the Blue Jays. Both reinvented themselves overseas, both return with new arsenals, and both deals reflect MLB’s growing willingness to invest in pitchers who rebuild their value in the KBO and NPB. Kay gives Chicago a stabilizing piece in a flexible rotation, while Ponce becomes another power arm in what might be the deepest starting group in baseball.

We also look at Sonny Gray, who hasn’t thrown a pitch for Boston yet but already leaned into the rivalry by taking a swipe at the Yankees. His comments added instant juice to a tense dynamic between the two clubs, and Boston paid real prospect capital to get him. We walk through the rotation fit, the motivation behind the deal, and the early messaging coming out of Fenway.

To close things out, we propose one trade that feels realistic heading into the Meetings — a move that fits the market, the needs on both sides, and the competitive timelines without getting speculative. Think of it as the early favorite to become this year’s headline move once executives settle into Orlando.

Steve and Devin walk through each signing, the market context, the roster ripple effects, and the trade to watch as the Meetings begin.

Two major reliever signings. Two international additions. One rivalry story. One trade prediction going into baseball’s busiest week.

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Welcome to Episode 121 of Tablesetters — and today we’re joined by one of the most essential voices in global baseball storytelling. Jim Allen, longtime NPB writer, analyst, historian, and the force behind jballallen.com and its weekly newsletter, sits down with us for a deep, far-reaching conversation about the heartbeat of Japanese baseball and its growing impact on MLB.

For decades, Jim’s reporting has been the bridge that helps English-speaking fans understand not just NPB players, but the culture, structures, and histories that shape them. From the posting system to player development pathways, from extra-inning philosophy to editorial norms, and from national identity to modern pitch-design trends, Jim brings context you simply can’t find anywhere else. And with Tatsuya Imai, Munetaka Murakami, Kona Takahashi, and others drawing MLB attention — all while Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki redefine the top of the sport — this is the perfect moment to have him on.

In our conversation, Jim takes us inside how the posting system actually works: the incentives that guide both leagues, how timing and leverage shape negotiations, and why the 2013 reforms solved some issues while pushing others into new territory. We break down Imai’s rise into a front-line starter, why his growth feels so intentional, and what parts of his profile give him the best chance to translate quickly to MLB. Jim also helps untangle the narrative around Murakami’s 56-homer “Japanese-born record,” how it’s framed against Balentien’s 60, and what American fans need to understand about how that story was built and why it stuck.

We dig into the philosophical gap between MLB’s open-ended extra innings and NPB’s 12-inning limit, what that says about pace, workload, and cultural logic, and how that contrast resurfaced when Yamamoto appeared in the World Series on almost no rest. From there, we look at Japan’s relationship with the WBC — Ohtani’s commitment, the national pride attached to the tournament, and how fans weigh those responsibilities against MLB club preferences.

Jim also breaks down why narrow milestones and highly specific statistical labels catch fire so quickly in Japanese media, and what American audiences often miss about that editorial tradition. We explore how public sentiment in Japan has shifted regarding stars leaving for MLB, from the tension-filled Matsuzaka era to today’s more normalized wave of early departures. And we close with a look ahead: the next generation of NPB names to know, plus Jim’s thoughts on Anthony Kay’s breakout season and Trevor Bauer’s polarizing stint in Japan.

It’s one of our most wide-ranging episodes yet — part baseball, part culture, part analytics, part history — and Jim guides all of it with clarity, nuance, and generosity.

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Tablesetters — where the game on the field meets the stories that define it.

The offseason didn’t take a warm-up lap — it jumped straight into real movement. Episode 120 starts with two Blind Rankings games: Devin puts together eight random free-agent tag teams, pairing two available players who would be a fun combo for any club to sign together, while Steve works through eight free-agent ballpark fits to see which hypothetical landing spots match the player’s style, strengths, or vibe the best. No context, no reshuffling — just reaction.

We also dig into the Nimmo–Semien trade, one of the more surprising one-for-one swaps in recent years. The Mets send Brandon Nimmo (plus $5M) to Texas for Marcus Semien, reshaping both teams in a pretty direct way. We look at why Nimmo approved the deal, how the Rangers shift their outfield with Carter and Langford, and why Semien fits exactly what the Mets want to emphasize — defense, reliability, and a more balanced lineup. It also raises real questions about New York’s infield picture, from Jeff McNeil’s role to Brett Baty to how soon Jett Williams forces his way into a spot.

From there, we get into Sonny Gray’s move to the Red Sox — a deal that accelerates Boston’s push toward a stabilized, playoff-ready rotation — and Toronto’s massive swing for Dylan Cease, handing out a franchise-record seven-year, $210 million contract to anchor the next era of the Jays’ staff.

And then there’s Hal Steinbrenner, who stirred the week even further by suggesting the Yankees didn’t turn a profit in 2025 and that reducing payroll would be “ideal.” We break down why those comments landed poorly, how they contrast with the Yankees’ global financial footprint, and what it means for their offseason strategy.

Once the trade, signing, and ownership reaction breaks wrap, it’s Blind Rankings time:

Devin’s Free Agent Tag Teams:

Two random free agents at a time, paired together like a package deal — who makes the best duo a team could sign this winter?

Steve’s Free Agent Ballpark Fits:

Eight different free agents matched with eight different ballparks — which pairing feels right, and which ones fall flat?

We close things out by talking about how this early wave of moves — the Nimmo–Semien blockbuster, Sonny Gray to Boston, the Cease mega-deal, and Hal’s payroll posture — might shift the broader free-agent picture, especially for hitters like Pete Alonso, Kyle Tucker, and Cody Bellinger.

🎙 Steve and Devin are live walking through the trade, the immediate roster fallout, the Hal discourse, and both Blind Rankings boards.

⚾️ Two ranking games. A major trade. Two big signings. A Yankees ownership storyline. Plenty of early-winter movement.

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Welcome to Episode 119 of Tablesetters—and today we’re joined by one of the most influential minds in modern baseball analysis. Eno Sarris, Senior MLB Writer at The Athletic, co-host of Rates & Barrels, creator of Stuff+, and a driving force behind how the sport understands pitching, pitch design, and player value, sits in with us for a conversation that spans the future of baseball, the state of analytics, and everything reshaping the game this offseason.

Eno’s work sits at the intersection of curiosity and clarity—where a question about a fastball’s shape becomes a study of deception, intent, biomechanics, and why certain pitches outperform their “stuff.” His concepts—Stuff+, seam-shifted wake, pitch-shape modeling, bat-speed evaluation—have filtered through front offices, pitching labs, broadcast booths, and fantasy baseball communities. If you’ve ever wondered why a pitch works, Eno is probably the person who has already built the model explaining it.

This winter he broke down the smartest value buys in free agency, explaining why Tatsuya Imai’s fastball could be the next elite NPB translation, why Alex Bregman’s aging curve is misunderstood, what actually caused Ryan Helsley’s 2025 volatility, and how Cody Ponce rebuilt himself into a meaningful big-league option. He also delivered the clearest analytical breakdown of the Emmanuel Clase gambling scandal—quantifying exactly how six intentionally thrown pitches affected win probability, cost Cleveland real financial value, and altered the organization’s multi-year roster plan. On top of that, his postseason analysis reframed how we think about October baseball—from the rise of contact + damage, to the surge in TOOTBLANs, to the drag on starters pitching on short rest, to the explosion of splitter usage across elite arms.

And all of this happens as MLB enters a brand-new distribution era. ESPN absorbs MLB.TV. NBC returns to Sunday Night Baseball. Netflix enters live baseball with Opening Night, the Home Run Derby, and the 2026 Field of Dreams game. Few people can contextualize these shifts the way Eno can, and today we dig into how this realignment reshapes the fan experience and hints at where the sport is heading.

We also get into Eno’s offseason rhythm—how he unwinds (or doesn’t), how his fantasy season went, and how his models continue evolving behind the scenes. From data to storytelling, from pitch design to media rights, from free-agent value to playoff trends, this is one of the most wide-ranging and illuminating conversations we’ve had on Tablesetters.

🎧 Subscribe and follow us @TablesettersPod on Instagram and X for bonus content, interviews, and analytics-driven breakdowns all offseason long.

Welcome to Episode 118 of Tablesetters. The offseason opened with a major move, as Josh Naylor signed a five-year deal with the Seattle Mariners, immediately reshaping the first-base market. His return reinforces Seattle’s lineup core and removes one of the most dependable bats from free agency. We break down why the deal came together quickly, why other teams never seriously entered the mix, and how his signing affects clubs still searching for first-base or middle-of-the-order help.

Midway through the live show, the conversation shifted when news broke that the Orioles traded Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels for Taylor Ward. Rodriguez missed the entire 2025 season with arm injuries, but the Angels are betting on the upside he showed before the setbacks. Ward, under control through 2026, gives Baltimore a steady right-handed bat and immediate outfield stability. We break down how the trade fits each team’s broader offseason plan and what it suggests about their priorities moving forward.

The episode also covers one of the most unusual qualifying-offer cycles since the system’s creation. Four players accepted the QO — Trent Grisham, Gleyber Torres, Shota Imanaga, and Brandon Woodruff — marking the first time more than three players have taken it in the same offseason. Grisham’s decision is the most surprising, coming off a breakout 34-homer season in a thin outfield market. His acceptance raises the Yankees’ payroll above the third luxury-tax tier and signals a calculated one-year bet on himself. Torres returns to Detroit looking for a healthier 2026 after playing through a sports hernia. Imanaga chose a reset with Chicago after a late-season downturn, and Woodruff accepted as expected as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery.

On the other side, nine players rejected the QO — Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, Bo Bichette, Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Ranger Suárez, Edwin Díaz, Zac Gallen, and Michael King — a group largely expected to pursue multi-year deals despite draft-pick compensation. Their decisions, combined with Grisham coming off the board, further thin the center-field market and shift clubs toward potential trade options. This QO cycle reflects a winter shaped by uncertainty around future labor conditions, stricter tax penalties, and mixed performances from several major free agents.

In San Diego, the Padres’ ownership evaluation remains ongoing. The Seidler family is formally exploring a potential sale while working through internal disputes and long-term financial considerations. The front office maintains a “business as usual” stance, but the review introduces real questions about payroll strategy and organizational stability heading into 2026.

Award season added another layer to a busy week. Shohei Ohtani earned another unanimous MVP, and Aaron Judge secured his third after a tightly contested race. On the pitching side, Tarik Skubal won his second straight AL Cy Young Award, and Paul Skenes captured the NL honor just a year after winning Rookie of the Year — a rare progression that underscores how quickly he has become one of the league’s most impactful pitchers.

In Washington, the Nationals introduced Drew Butera as their new manager, making him the youngest skipper in Major League Baseball in more than 50 years. His development-focused background aligns with the organization’s larger reset under Paul Toboni. The 2026 Hall of Fame ballot was also released, featuring returning candidates such as Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones along with first-time names including Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun, and Matt Kemp.

🎙 Steve and Devin break down the Naylor signing, the Rodriguez–Ward trade, the Qualifying Offer outcomes, the Padres’ ownership situation, the MVP and Cy Young results, Washington’s managerial hire, and the early shape of the Hall of Fame ballot — and how each story frames the first stage of the offseason.

⚾️ A major signing. A notable trade. An unusual QO cycle. Ownership uncertainty. Award season clarity.

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Welcome to Episode 117 of Tablesetters! Today we’re joined by Will Klein, one of the breakout stars of the 2025 postseason and a pitcher whose performance will be remembered as a defining moment in Dodgers history.

A fifth-round pick out of Eastern Illinois in 2020, Klein’s path to the majors was anything but straightforward — marked by perseverance, steady development, and belief in his own process. After stops in Kansas City, Oakland, and Seattle, he found his footing in Los Angeles, where preparation met opportunity in the biggest possible way.

That moment came in Game 3 of the World Series — an 18-inning epic that pushed both teams to their limits. With the Dodgers down to their final bullpen arm, Klein threw four scoreless innings, struck out five, and helped shift the entire momentum of the series. The Dodgers went on to capture their second consecutive championship, and his performance instantly became part of franchise lore.

We dive into Will’s remarkable story and his reflections on that defining night, including:

Plus, we explore:

Will also discusses his offseason focus areas, how he resets after a championship run, and what it means to know that when his moment came — he was ready, and he delivered.

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Welcome back to Tablesetters, your home for deep-dive baseball conversation and analysis. Steve and Devin are here, and we’re thrilled to welcome back Keith Raad, the play-by-play broadcaster for the New York Mets on WCBS 880, returning to the show for the first time since Episode 37. Keith works alongside Mets Hall of Famer Howie Rose, bringing fans every pitch, every rally, and every unforgettable moment of Mets baseball. You can follow Keith on X @keithraad and hear him live all season long on the Mets’ broadcast.

In this episode, we take a hard look at one of the most compelling—and confounding—teams in baseball. The 2025 Mets went from owning MLB’s best record through mid-June to missing the postseason entirely, a collapse defined by bullpen fatigue, record-setting pitching turnover, and a clubhouse tested by adversity. Keith offers firsthand insight from the booth, breaking down what made the first-half magic so special, how Carlos Mendoza held the group together through the storm, and what lessons the team can carry forward into 2026.

From there, we dig into the offseason storylines dominating Queens: the opt-outs of Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz, what their market value truly looks like, and whether David Stearns can retain both without compromising the organization’s flexibility. We explore the reported “culture reset” and the trade chatter around Jeff McNeil, assessing how the front office might reshape this roster’s identity around its long-term superstar core.

Then we turn to the rotation and a rumor with real traction: Tarik Skubal. The 2024 AL Cy Young winner has been linked to the Mets amid uncertainty over his future in Detroit, and Ken Rosenthal recently called New York “the obvious team” if the Tigers can’t extend him. Keith breaks down how that potential pursuit could affect the Mets’ 2026 plans and whether Stearns might resist handing out long-term deals this winter to keep the door open for Skubal next year.

Of course, the conversation also highlights the organization’s young foundation—Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and arms like Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean, and Jonah Tong—and what their continued growth could mean for a rotation in transition. Keith offers sharp in sight on Vientos’ long-term potential, and how Soto’s arrival has redefined the team’s competitive identity.

We close by revisiting a landmark moment in franchise history—the retirement of David Wright’s No. 5—and hearing Keith’s reflections on what that night symbolized for the organization and for a fanbase that still sees Wright as its moral compass. Finally, Keith shares what it means to be the voice behind a franchise now firmly entering the Juan Soto era, and what he hopes to deliver to Mets fans in 2026 and beyond.

This is one episode you won’t want to miss. Grab your headphones, settle in, and enjoy a conversation that captures the emotion, intelligence, and future of Mets baseball—right here on Tablesetters, where every inning tells a story and every pitch sets the stage for the game’s greatest moments.

And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @tablesetterspod for exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive fan polls. We want to hear from you!

MLB free agency has officially opened, and Steve and Devin are back with Episode 115 for one of Tablesetters’ most anticipated offseason events — The Free-Agent Match Draft.

Each host enters with a secret 15-pick draft board, predicting where the biggest names in baseball will sign and what their contracts will look like. Every correct destination earns points, but the real intrigue lies in how each prediction reveals the pulse of the market — where logic meets instinct, and every choice tells a story about how front offices think.

This year’s free-agent class is loaded with possibility: superstars ready to shift the balance of power, steady contributors who complete contenders, and intriguing bounce-back bets looking for the perfect fit. As the draft unfolds, Steve and Devin break down how teams across the league are positioning themselves — from the spenders to the sleepers, and everyone in between.

By the end, two draft boards paint a portrait of the entire offseason before it even begins — ambition, strategy, and the ever-evolving art of roster building.

Follow @TablesettersPod on Instagram and X for full draft boards, live scoring updates, and exclusive offseason coverage all winter long.